Lincoln U. eyes opportunity zone

LOWER OXFORD — As The Lincoln University looks toward the future, there is potential for economic development on university property to go hand-in-hand with educational opportunities.

If government approvals are received this month, a Keystone Opportunity Zone application will be submitted to the state for construction of a research and development park on a section of university-owned property off Baltimore Pike between Elkdale and University roads, opposite the main campus.

“An R&D park will enhance the experiences we provide to our students prior to graduating. Additionally, as companies move into the area to lease space in the R&D Park, we hope this allows for internships and part- or full-time job opportunities, thus helping our students to stay in the area beyond graduation to the benefit of the city and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Lincoln University President Robert R. Jennings said. “Aside from the opportunities it affords our students and graduates, The Lincoln University is strongly committed to strengthening and enhancing the community in which we are housed.”

The creation of a Keystone Opportunity Zone offers new businesses a 10-year tax abatement as incentive to locate on that specific property. As a part of the application process, the site has to be identified and approval for the tax relief has to be given by all the taxing entities — in this case the township, the school district and the county.

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Representatives from the Chester County Economic Development Council appeared at the Lower Oxford Township supervisors’ meeting Sept. 11, where the board voted to agree to the application. They also attended the Sept. 12 school board meeting to present the issue to the board and request action at its next meeting on Sept 19. Approval will also be needed from the Chester County commissioners.

In this case, approval of the tax waiver is almost a moot point, since the property is owned by The Lincoln University and is already tax exempt because of that. Taxes could actually be generated by the creation of a KOZ because employees of any new business would be paying earned income taxes.

Local government would still maintain control of the land development planning process that would go along with any new construction on the site.

At this point, no specific company has been identified as an occupant for the KOZ at The Lincoln University.

“We are certainly interested in information technology, science and engineering firms since we are one of the producers of African-Americans in the STEM (science, technology, enginerring, mathematics) areas. However, we have not specifically narrowed the focus for the R&D park yet,” Jennings said.

This would not be the first time a Keystone Opportunity Zone has been initiated in the Oxford area. Last year, a KOZ was created on the Flowers Foods property alongside the existing Tastykake plant, allowing the company to expand its building to start a new bread production line,

Robert Grabus of the CCEDC told the Oxford Area School Board that while original estimates were that the Flowers Foods KOZ would create approximately 77 jobs, there are in fact now more than 100 new jobs at the facility. “There is no real downside. The property is already tax exempt. At the end of the 10-year period there is a reasonable opportunity for that property to come back on the tax rolls,” he said.

Once approvals are granted and a KOZ approved by the state, the CCEDC would assist in writing a proposal and begin looking for appropriate businesses to come to the site.

“As you know, KOZs revive economically distressed urban and rural communities with one of the most powerful market-based incentives — eliminating taxes. We believe that several companies that otherwise might not come to this area will do so, providing jobs and other opportunities for citizens who live in and around the Oxford community,” Jennings said.